What Causes Frequent Stomachaches in Children? | Incheon Pediatric Abdominal Pain
Table of Contents
- Incheon Pediatric Abdominal Pain
- 1. Why do they keep saying they're in pain?
- 2. Three Types Seen Through Cases
- Child with Abdominal Pain Every Morning
- Child Complaining of Abdominal Pain and Bloating After Meals
- Child Waking Up Crying with Abdominal Pain at Night
- 3. Functional Abdominal Pain is Not Faking It
- 4. Six Things Parents Can Check
- 5. Types of Childhood Abdominal Pain from a Korean Medicine Perspective
- 6. Before Treatment, Interpretation is Necessary
Incheon Pediatric Abdominal Pain
Our child keeps saying their stomach hurts, but the hospital says there's nothing wrong?
1. Why do they keep saying they're in pain?
Hello. This is Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.
Have you ever had these concerns?
My child keeps saying their stomach hurts.
It's not just once or twice; it happens several times a week, so we've been to the hospital multiple times.
Blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds... the results are always "no abnormalities," but my child still says, "My tummy hurts."
Is this faking it? Or is there really something wrong?
2. Three Types Seen Through Cases
Child with Abdominal Pain Every Morning
This is a second-grader. Whenever they get ready for school, they complain of stomach pain, leading to frequent tardiness or absences. However, on weekends or during vacations, they are perfectly fine.
In such cases, it is highly likely to be functional abdominal pain, where stress or anxiety manifests as digestive symptoms.
Child Complaining of Abdominal Pain and Bloating After Meals
This is an older elementary school child who feels bloated whenever they eat. Even when they don't eat much, they always say, "My stomach feels uncomfortable." They are picky eaters and often seek water.
This could be related to 'functional dyspepsia'. It's a case where the stomach doesn't move well or stomach acid secretion is sensitive.
Child Waking Up Crying with Abdominal Pain at Night
They wake up in the middle of the night crying, saying their stomach hurts. We even went to the emergency room, but tests showed no major issues. By the next morning, they play as if nothing happened.
This can be seen as abdominal migraine or intermittent gastrointestinal spasms. This pattern is frequently observed in particularly sensitive children.
3. Functional Abdominal Pain is Not Faking It
'Functional abdominal pain' refers to a condition where there's no problem with the organs, but the pain is genuinely present. When a child's intestinal nervous system becomes sensitive, they experience significant pain even from minor stimuli and complain of recurrent discomfort. This is not simply a psychological issue, and it is certainly not faking it.
4. Six Things Parents Can Check
It's helpful to record the following six things:
- ① When does it hurt? Time of day such as morning / before meals / after meals / before bed
- ② Where does it hurt? Around the navel / epigastrium / flank / lower abdomen
- ③ What does the pain feel like? Squeezing / tightening / dull / burning
- ④ How often? Daily / 3 times a week / only in specific situations
- ⑤ Does it affect daily life? School absence / skipping meals / avoiding activities, etc.
- ⑥ Are there accompanying symptoms? Headache / constipation / vomiting / loss of appetite, etc.
Keeping a log of this will be a great help when visiting the hospital and effective in identifying your child's symptom patterns.
5. Types of Childhood Abdominal Pain from a Korean Medicine Perspective
In Korean medicine, we don't just look at symptoms; we also consider the child's constitution, personality, eating habits, and sleep rhythm.
| Type | Characteristics | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Spleen-Stomach Weakness Type | Poor appetite and low stamina | Easily fatigued, cold hands and feet |
| Liver Qi Stagnation Type | Sensitive and susceptible to stress | Morning abdominal pain, stress-induced diarrhea |
| Food Stagnation Type | Overeating or slow digestion | Burping, constipation, bloating |
| Phlegm-Fluid Retention Type | Pain on pressure, feeling of stomach blockage | Thick white tongue coating, excessive sweating |
Since children can express the same symptoms for different reasons, it's important to distinguish these patterns.
6. Before Treatment, Interpretation is Necessary
The first thing I tell parents in such situations is not to try to convince the child, but to record and observe.
What did they eat today, when did their stomach start hurting, were there any incidents at school, did they sleep well... when these small pieces of information are consistently recorded, your child's body rhythm begins to emerge.
Don't just listen to "the hospital said there's nothing wrong"; you need to try to interpret your child's expressions. This is truly the beginning of treatment.
Although tests show no abnormalities, the child's abdominal pain is clearly real. We shouldn't deny that reality, but rather consider how to understand the signals from the child's body.
If it's not just a one-time pain, then that pain is trying to tell you something. As parents, what we need to do is listen to what it's saying.
#ChildWithFrequentStomachAches #ReasonsForFrequentStomachAches #PediatricAbdominalPain
